More Good News for Your Future

Nov 9, 2011

By Meghan G. Loftus

A new study suggests that consistent exercise may help preserve muscle mass well into your later years, according to the Well blog at NYTimes.com.

After age 40, people usually lose about 8 percent of their muscle mass per decade, with even sharper declines after age 70. A study in the journal The Physician and Sportsmedicine examined 40 highly fit runners, cyclists, and swimmers over the age of 40. Scientists found little difference in muscle mass between the younger athletes and the older athletes, and though the athletes over 60 had lost some muscle strength, the difference was not terribly substantial.

“We think these are very encouraging results,” says Dr. Vonda Wright, the orthopedic surgeon who oversaw the study. “The changes that we’ve assumed were due to aging and therefore were unstoppable seem actually to be caused by inactivity. And that can be changed.”

To read the complete write-up from the Well blog, which includes results from a couple other related studies, click here.

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